Creating an outdoor area that offers beauty, relaxation and fosters plant growth is an excellent option for homes and businesses.

Creating an outdoor area that offers beauty, relaxation and fosters plant growth is an excellent option for homes and businesses. However, it might not be as simple as you think. There are numerous landscape design do’s and don’ts that you need to understand before you get started so you can avoid making some costly mistakes and still get the look and functionality that you want.

Drainage Considerations

One of the most important landscape design considerations is drainage. No matter what feature you’re installing, whether it’s a stone patio or a birdbath, it’s going to affect drainage in your yard. You need to make sure that you are able to plan runoff correctly – it either needs to be moved out of the area or captured for use in other applications.

Green, Green, Green

Too often, homeowners focus on adding permanent landscape elements like patios, outdoor kitchens or swimming pools. However, if you really want your landscape design to work, you cannot forget the greenery. Your back yard should not be a hardscape unless there is no other option (for instance, if you live in the Southwest). A back yard needs to be green and healthy, with thriving plant life, even if it is only a healthy lawn.

Style Considerations in Landscape Design

You are also going to need to make sure that your landscape design matches your home’s style as well as your overall plan. For instance, you don’t want to mix an intimate flower garden with a formal Victorian garden. While blending a few elements can help create a unique look, your landscape design needs to be cohesive throughout in order to evoke the style that you really want. The best way to ensure this happens is to work with a professional designer with experience.